Page:Williams and Calvert, Fiji and the Fijians, New York, 1860.djvu/151

 MAIs^XEKS AXD CUSTOMS. 123 fringed band, which has been already described. It is tiea on the right side with bass, which, on high days, is long enough to form a train. The turban, consisting of a gauze-like scarf of very fine white inasi^ from four to six feet long, is worn by all Fijians who can lay claim to respectability, except such as are forbidden its use. The apparent size is entirely regulated by the quantity of hair underneath, which is generally considerable. This head-dress may be fastened by a neat bow in front, or tied in a tassel-knot on the top of the head, or arranged so as to hang in lappets on one side. By some it is worn as a band or cord at the root of the hair, the greater part being allowed to fall down the back. In most cases it is ornamental and graceful. It is the heads, however, rather than their covering, which excite wonder, and on no other part of his person does the Fijian expend so much time, pains, and skill. Most of the Chiefs have a hairdresser, to whose care his master's head is intrusted, often demanding daily atten- tion, and, at certain stages of progress, requiring several hours' labour each day. During all this time the operator's hands are tabu fi-om touching his food, but not from working in his garden. The hair is strong and often quite wiry, and so dressed that it will retain the posi- tion in which it is placed, even when projecting from the head to a dis- tance of six or eight inches. One stranger, on seeing their performances in this department, exclaims, " What astonishing wigs ! " another, " Surely the beau-ideal of hairdressing must reside in Fiji ; " a third, " Their heads surpass imagination." No wonder, then, that they defy description. A few modes of adorning or disfiguring the head are given in the engraving ; but they might be greatly multiplied without in- cluding all the vagaries of Fijian fancy in this particular ; for if in any- thing the natives have a claim to originality and versatility of genius, it is in hairdressing. Whatever may be said about the appearance being unnatural, the best coiffures have a surprising and almost geometrical accuracy of outline, combined with a round softness of surface, and uniformity of dye, which display extraordinary care, and merit some praise. They seem to be carved out of some solid substance, and are variously coloured. Jet black, blue black, ashy white, anl several shades of red prevail. Among young people bright red and flaxen are in favour. Sometimes two or more colours meet on the same head. Some heads are finished, both as to shape and colour, nearly like an English counsellor's wig. In some the head is a spherical mass of jet black hair with a white roll in front, as broad as the hand ; or, in lieu of this, a white oblong occupies the length of the forehead, the black passing down on either side. In each case the black projects farther 9